Weingut FJ Gritsch Mauritiushof

Weingut FJ Gritsch Mauritiushof is an Austrian wine estate based in Spitz an der Donau in the Wachau wine-growing region of Lower Austria. Its historic Mauritiushof property, built in the 13th century, was originally the Lesehof (harvest court) of the monks of Niederaltaich in Bavaria, and its name derives from the neighbouring parish church dedicated to St. Maurice. The estate has been in the possession of the Gritsch family since 1799 and is today led by Franz-Josef Gritsch in the seventh generation. The Mauritiushof itself is a listed heritage building. The estate farms roughly 15 hectares of vineyards, predominantly planted with white varieties — above all Grüner Veltliner and Riesling, along with Neuburger, Muskateller and Sauvignon Blanc. Its holdings include some of the Wachau's finest terraced sites, such as Singerriedel, 1000-Eimerberg, Kalkofen, Loibenberg, Steinporz, Axpoint, Hochrain and Setzberg. Among its treasures is the last large terraced vineyard within the historic fortifications of Dürnstein, an extremely steep, south-facing site above Schloss Dürnstein along the western town wall, reachable only by a narrow footpath. A particular speciality is the Atzberg site in Spitz, an extremely steep vineyard documented as a wine-growing site as early as 1382. Its mineral-rich, iron-bearing soils of red gneiss and schist have been scientifically documented, and after viticulture there was abandoned in the 1950s, Franz-Josef Gritsch, Robert Wutzl and Hans Schmid began recultivating it in 2008. The estate is also known for its 'kalmuck Wachau' wines, grown on various stone terraces from Loiben to Spitz and branded with the traditional Kalmuck check pattern of Wachau costume — a design that also appears in Gritsch's wine cellar in Spitz. The winery is a member of the Vinea Wachau Nobilis Districtus, the Wachau growers' association that governs the region's Steinfeder, Federspiel and Smaragd quality categories. Its wines are regularly reviewed in Austrian and international wine media, including Gault Millau, Vinaria, Falstaff and Decanter. The estate remains a private, family-run business, with its own websites for the winery, the kalmuck Wachau line and the Atzberg project.

The Mauritiushof in Spitz an der Donau was built in the 13th century and served at that time as the Lesehof — the harvest and administrative court — of the monks of Niederaltaich in Bavaria. Its name, 'Mauritiushof', comes from the neighbouring parish church, which is dedicated to St. Maurice. The historic property has repeatedly served as a motif for artists, including Siegfried Stoitzner. In 1799 the estate came into the possession of the Gritsch family. It has remained in family hands since then, and the winery is now led by Franz-Josef Gritsch in the seventh generation. The Mauritiushof is a protected monument (Denkmalschutz). The modern estate farms around 15 hectares of vineyards, predominantly planted with white varieties, above all Grüner Veltliner and Riesling, as well as Neuburger, Muskateller and Sauvignon Blanc. Its vineyards lie in some of the best terraced sites of the Wachau: Singerriedel, 1000-Eimerberg, Kalkofen, Loibenberg, Steinporz, Axpoint, Hochrain and Setzberg. Among these is the last large terraced vineyard within the historic fortifications of Dürnstein, an extremely steep, south-facing site above Schloss Dürnstein along the western town wall next to the blue Baroque tower, accessible only by a narrow footpath. A special feature of the estate is the Atzberg site in Spitz, an extremely steep vineyard. A document from 1382 already mentions the 'Ärzberg' as a wine-growing site. Singerriedel and Atzberg are thought to have once formed a single geological unit before the Mieslingbach stream separated them. The soil, as the original name suggests, is ore-bearing — red rock with gneiss and schist structure and a very sparse earth cover. The extreme mineral content of the soil has been scientifically documented through numerous mineral finds. Because working this steep site was so arduous, viticulture at Atzberg was abandoned in the 1950s. Since 2008 it has been recultivated by three wine enthusiasts: Franz-Josef Gritsch, Robert Wutzl and Hans Schmid. The estate is also known for its 'kalmuck Wachau' wines, which grow on various stone terraces from Loiben to Spitz. The typical so-called Kalmuck pattern of the traditional Kalmuck fabric of Wachau costume marks not only the wines but also the wine cellar of Franz-Josef Gritsch in Spitz, which carries the check design. The winery is a member of the Vinea Wachau Nobilis Districtus, the association of Wachau winegrowers that regulates the region's Steinfeder, Federspiel and Smaragd categories. Its wines have been covered in publications including the Gault Millau Weinguide 2019, Vinaria Weinguide 2017/18 and 2018/19, Vinaria (2014, 2015, 2018), Falstaff (October 2018), the Wirtshausführer 2019, the Wachau Magazin 2019, the Schweizerische Weinzeitung (10/2016), Decanter (January 2013), Skin (April 2015) and A la Carte Magazin (2009, 2012).

• 2008

  Franz-Josef Gritsch, Robert Wutzl and Hans Schmid begin recultivating Atzberg.

• 1950

  Viticulture at the steep Atzberg site is abandoned.

• 1799

  The estate comes into the possession of the Gritsch family.

• Mauritiushof built in the 13th century as the Lesehof of the monks of Niederaltaich.

• Document mentions the 'Ärzberg' as a wine-growing site in Spitz.

Traditional, family-owned Wachau estate focused on steep-terrace white wines, heritage sites and the Vinea Wachau quality system.

• Grüner Veltliner

• Riesling

• Neuburger

• Muskateller

• Sauvignon Blanc

• kalmuck Wachau

1. 1Weingut FJ Gritsch Mauritiushof – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
2. 2Weingut FJ Gritsch Mauritiushof – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Official websitegritsch.at